Northwestern pulls Clayton Thorson after struggles against Purdue

Still the Wildcats’ offense struck early and collected a game-winner late as Jackson scored on a two-yard TD run with 4:37 remaining.

Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson had back-to-back 16-yard scrambles on the 12-play drive to get the Wildcats to the Purdue 5-yard line and set up the score.

Despite a pair of first half touchdowns, it’s been an ugly day for Northwestern’s offense Saturday against Purdue. The Boilermakers fell to 2 – 8, 1 – 5 in league play, plus, they remained winless against ranked teams since 2011.

After that interception, Northwestern replaced Thorson with Zack Oliver at quarterback, and the senior’s first two passes went for 13- and 37-yard gains inside the Purdue 30-yard line. “But our defense, we use the analogy-not to be disrespectful-but we use the analogy of being a fireman”. “You just got to find a way as a coach to get it out of the guys”. “Our defense did that 100 percent today which was obviously the difference in the game”. Purdue’s Robert Gregory picked it up, but the Boilermakers couldn’t capitalize, and Purdue headed into halftime trailing 14-7.

“We try to take everything week by week, but the bigger picture was addressed”, said offensive lineman Matt Frazier, a senior. “I think it’s important in every phase, not only recruiting (but) everything that we have going moving forward”.

The Odds: Northwestern is a 16 point favorite at home against Purdue. A fourth-down end zone pass from Blough to DeAngelo Yancey was overthrown. If the Boilermakers are going to have any chance of pulling off the upset, they are going to have to stop the ground game of Northwestern, and that is something that Purdue hasn’t been able to do with any team this season. But he reentered the game in the fourth and led what proved to be the game-winning scoring drive, which ended in a tie-breaking Justin Jackson touchdown run. Coach Darrell Hazell is 6-27 overall and just 2-19 in the Big Ten in his third season.

Northwestern is ranked number eighteen in the nation thanks to a 7-2 record for the season. Oliver stepped in for Thorson as the Wildcats prevailed 23-21. Purdue RB Markell Jones entered Saturday fourth national among freshmen in yards per rush (5.51) and rushing TDs (seven). He broke Purdue’s all-time true freshman rushing record with 157 yards at MI State on October 3.

But Purdue drove 71 yards for a touchdown to start the second half, with Jones scoring on a 2-yard run.

Justin Jackson didn’t care how close the score was against struggling Purdue. All that mattered was another win by No. 24 Northwestern.

While Purdue has played relatively well on the road in losses to Marshall, MI State and Wisconsin, it faces Northwestern and No. 8 Iowa the next two Saturdays.